Coming off an injury-plagued season in 2009, Ben Wallace accepted a one-year contract with the Detroit Pistons that seemed like a farewell tour. In his final season in Cleveland, in addition to being hurt, Wallace’s numbers were down and, after he was traded to Phoenix by the Cavaliers for Shaquille O’Neal, Wallace reportedly considered retiring before a buyout by the Suns allowed him to return to the Pistons.

For Detroit, Wallace seemed like insurance — the team was retooling and needed to add some depth to its patched-together frontcourt. Wallace, at his advanced age, surely couldn’t handle a major role and certainly couldn’t come close to the productivity of his best years in the league.

Except he did. The ‘Benaissance’ season, as it became known in the Pistons blogosphere, was one of franchise’s few bright spots over the last four years. In nearly 30 minutes per game in 2009-10, Wallace averaged 8.7 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. His 54% shooting was the second-best mark of his career and, though he wasn’t the rim-protecting presence he once was, his post defense was as stellar as ever. Wallace was the best big man on the Pistons’ roster that season (not that there was much competition).

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Can Chauncey Billups, also well past his prime, also coming off of a season full of injuries, have a similar revival? There certainly are credible factors that suggest he won’t approach the type of production and impact Wallace had in his return. Billups (37) is a little bit older than Wallace (34) was. Billups’ worst injury, a ruptured Achilles tendon, is more debilitating than the broken leg that befell Wallace. The Pistons also have a more complicated point guard situation. They have a young player they’re trying to develop in Brandon Knight, and they have a competent backup in Will Bynum, whom they just re-signed. When Wallace returned, the frontcourt rotation consisted of Charlie Villanueva, Kwame Brown, Chris Wilcox and Jason Maxiell. The only player the Pistons had any sort of long-term commitment to was Villanueva. The others were journeymen who, at their peaks, were nowhere near the caliber player Wallace was, so it wasn’t a total shock that he worked his way past them in the rotation. It would be quite a shock if Billups significantly cut into Knight’s or Bynum’s minutes. And yet …

The key for Wallace earning minutes on that team was the fact that his greatest remaining skills — rebounding, interior defense, basketball IQ and his underrated passing ability — were among the team’s greatest deficiencies. Billups’ remaining skills — a low turnover rate, an ability to run a competent halfcourt offense and an ability to shoot from the perimeter — are areas in which the current version of the Pistons struggles.

Billups hit 37% of his threee-pointers last season. With apologies to Andre Drummond and his 50% three-point marksmanship, that mark was better than any player returning to the Pistons this season. Billups’ turnover percentage last season was 14.6%, significantly better than Knight and Bynum (both 17%). And playing exclusively as an off-guard next to Chris Paul last season, Billups still managed a 17.4% assist percentage. Knight’s was just 21%, playing half the season primarily at point guard. In Billups’ last season as a full-time point guard in 2010-11, his assist percentage was nearly 26%.

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Billups’ three-point shooting alone will assure him of a regular role — the team is devoid of shooters, and with a lineup featuring Drummond, Josh Smith and Greg Monroe playing big minutes, floor spacing will be critical. I don’t discount the leadership/mentoring role Billups can play for Knight, but more important, Billups’ ability to run an offense and take care of the ball also will, hopefully, challenge Knight for minutes. Knight has shown moments of promise during his first two seasons in the NBA, but other than Jose Calderon briefly, the Pistons have had no one at the point guard position who could legitimately push Knight for the starting job.

Knight winning that job outright and keeping it through consistent play is the best possible outcome for both him and the organization, which desperately needs him to develop. Billups can provide a valuable role simply by providing an example of how to play the point guard position at a high level. But more important, he also gives the Pistons an on-court steadying option if Knight’s inconsistency and turnovers continue to be an issue.

Billups might not have as much left as Wallace did when he returned, but with his competitiveness, along with the chance to work with strength-and-conditioning coach Arnie Kander again, don’t count on his days of being a productive point guard being over, either.